Installing a lightpack on a laptop

Foreword

I understand that the topic is already a bit annoying, but be that as it may, I think someone will be interested.
Actually, I will not do anything supernatural / describe anything, just show my way of implementing a project well known to us in the article .

What are we doing?

My motivation is simple enough, I saw - I wanted, but there is one BUT, I use a laptop 80% of the time, and if the device assembly (for me) does not pose a problem, the next question is how to do it not only functionally but also nicely (meaning not the device itself, but its appearance) getting rid of the heaps of wires is not so simple, but without considering this issue, the subsequent ones are not relevant, as the laptop’s mobility is lost (how long it takes to install / remove the LEDs) and if you can do that th , the issue is more complicated with the laptop lid.

Stages of development

2. Find a place for the master board
3. Development board
4. Production of the board
5. Purchase
6. Sample Testing
7. Final fee
8. Board installation, test layout
9. Installing LEDs
10. Final
(No errors, the first point is not, because no one knows what to write there).

I will write right away, the project is not finished, only the first three stages have been completed, there is still a lot of difficult work to install and manufacture.
')
What we use to develop:
- code.google.com/p/lightpack
- Altium Desinger 10
- The laptop itself (I have one )
- MS Paint
- Textolite, soldering iron, parts, drill, drills, drills, knives, shorter intrement
- Smarty, Wishlist
- Tea, beer
Not so much true?

Stage one second

The developers offer a 90x40mm printed circuit board, picking up their beech, 100,500 times, but for the first time, in order to find an empty place, I did not find it ... well, as it is, but it is not too suitable, the net size is 40x30mm, the height is only 4mm, especially when looking ahead, we have to stretch 31 cables under the display cover (ten diodes and common power supply), which is not possible with this arrangement. The answer appeared itself itself and it is obvious. Having scratched out a bit more laptop (or rather, the body of the folding display and breaking off 3 latches ...) I saw an empty space measuring 11x148mm and a depth of 7mm, quite suitable for my purposes. Especially right next to the hinge in which there is plenty of free space, the data cable will say goodbye there.

That's just the area is 3 times smaller than the area of ​​the developers' board (3600 mm2 against my ~ 1600mm2), and to this all there are enough partitions (which add lid stiffness) that I don’t really want to break / saw. Armed with a compass shtangel and spending 1-2 hours on measurements, I had a less accurate drawing of this “maze”.

Stage 3

I quickly threw the circuit in the altium and drew the cases for the MK, drivers and other components, I scattered the components on the board, as a result, they did not fit. The first step to reduction was simple, go to smaller cases, for resistors - 0603 and cases for GP / GPA / CP / CPA drivers. The fourth (!) Version of the board was already suitable for something, but still, not that, the gaps between the tracks are too small, the entire board is dotted with vias, 50% of the components escaped to the bottom of the board, etc.
Having opened the circuit once again, my eye fell on the UART, SPI, NEKST_BOARD type connectors before I did not pay attention to them, but having found confirmation of my thoughts in the comment of the person with the nickname mdacms, I threw out the 3 connector, 3.3 adapter, binding to the body and the diode responsible for the status of the work (it may be worth returning, but more on that later) the board became similar to ... the board (!), redrawn about a dozen times, constantly starting almost from scratch, the result was a pretty good option.



So, as mentioned, I will install in the display cover. At the moment, there is already a drawn board, which theoretically fits its “seat” in size and shape. The queue of the main issue (installation of LEDs, how to fix, how to arrange and, the most terrible, how to make the necessary holes) inevitably approaches. There were a lot of ideas from the most crazy to the very real ones. At the moment I am inclined to the following installation option (I remind you that the aluminum cover, not counting the ~ 2 cm wide bar at the top, is clearly seen in this photo ): cut a place for the LED with a mill or a drill at high speeds, so that He entered the board with a minimum gap, the LED itself is installed on the board with a size of 1-2 mm more than the component itself, while the textolite plays the role of a certain “blocker”, does not allow the diode to fall out, you can use hot melt glue to make sure.


The connection of the LEDs is solved with the help of such cables, the platforms on the master board and on the LED boards were made under it, 240mm long should be enough, the loop thickness does not exceed 0.5mm, it can easily fit under the display. The only thing that the coating of the cable can be aluminum, in this case, soldering it is very, very difficult. But as they say, we are preparing for the worst, we hope for the best. This has become a backup option.
Also on the radio market there were no drivers in such a case (I found in the online store but an order from 47 pieces, nobody needs it?), The way out is to find drivers for the minimum size and redraw the board for them again ... Resistors and capacitors in 0603 case - no problem.

Stage 4

Let me remind you that the board with a size of 11x148mm with 0.2mm tracks and 0.7mm transition holes is not so easy to etch, the prototype will most likely be doing by itself, should I order a better-made board to be seen.

At the moment this is all the work done, so far there is no possibility and time to make a board and search for parts. But, Wishlist to finish the work absorbs me from the inside, so that the project will be completed, it is now difficult to say with what result, and I hope it will be positive. It’s also difficult to call any dates, I think I’ll get to the sixth stage in a couple of weeks, if everything is fine with the sample, then, further - everything is like clockwork, except for the last one - to cut holes for the LEDs.